Flashpoint: Protests, Police, and the Press
As part of the LA Times’ Oscar-winning Short Docs series, Flashpoint examines the eroding relationship within the United States between journalists covering protests and law enforcement, and discusses the implications those tensions have on democracy at large. The full film can be viewed here.
Directed by Max Esposito, Flashpoint was commissioned by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, an organization committed to protecting freedoms of speech and the press through litigation, research and advocacy. The 25-minute documentary compliments a report published by the Knight Institute on the same subject matter, authored by Joel Simon, a 2022-2023 Knight Institute Fellow and Founding Director of the Journalism Protection Initiative at the Newmark Journalism School.
Using an abundance of sourced footage, first-hand accounts from journalists as well as interviews with First Amendment scholars and lawyers, the film paints a stark picture of U.S. law enforcement’s collective infringement of the rights of journalists, not only in recent years but dating back to the Civil Rights era.
The film hopes to serve as a springboard for discussion from which the role of journalism - an essential mechanism of democracy - can be protected.
Credits:
Director: Max Esposito
Producer: Daisy Schmitt
Executive Producer: Candace White at Columbia University
Director of Photography: Jamal Solomon
Editor: P. Nick Curran at Loroto Productions
Associate Producer: Kushal Dev at Columbia University
Archival Producer: Daisy Schmitt
Archival Consultant: Heather Merrill
Featuring:
Katy Glenn Bass, Ashanti-Blaize Hopkins, Ben Camacho, Anna Diakun, Christopher Frierson, Katie G. Nelson, Aaron Nesheim, Mickey Osterreicher, Ed Ou, Mike Parker, Joel Simon, Mike Shum, Linda Tirado, Alexei Wood
Post Producer: Daisy Schmitt
Sound Mix and Design: Billy Wirasnik at Slo Media
Colorist: Phil Choe at Nice Shoes
Color Assist: Glenn Weidlich at Nice Shoes
Color Producer: Isabel Gomez at Nice Shoes
Graphic Design: Matthew Watkins
Animation: Chris Zuppa
Original Score: Cleod9 featuring Ian McLeod, Jacob Connor & Colin Kelly
Los Angeles Unit:
1st AC: Christine Mouton
Gaffer: Chad McClellan
Key Grip: Ken Marc
Sound Mixer: Joesh Wright
Production Assistants: Illanah Naamah, Savannah Meetze
New York Unit:
1st AC: Chris Evora
Gaffer: Kevin Villafuerte
Key Grip: Rachel Parrella
Swing: Cole Buroff
Sound Mixers: EJ Markland, Henry French
Production Assistants: Mimi Hong, Marcus Young, Avin Charles
Additional Cinematography:
Ben Camacho, Nick Curran, Eric Fernandez, Christopher Frierson, Addison Post, Josh Pacheco, Ed Ou, Jayrol San Jose, Mike Shum, Ronald Weaver II
Still Photography:
Jason Bergman, Ben Camacho, Courtney Crockett, Scott Heins, Alex Kent, Katie G. Nelson, Aaron Nesheim, Josh Pacheco, Lexis-Olivier Ray, Jayrol San Jose, Alexei Wood
